Agenda item

To consider the attached report.

The Director of Communities, Alan Hall introduced the Housing Service Standards, Performance report for 2017/18. He noted that any changes were set out in bold italics in the second column of the table attached to the report.

The Committee noted that since 2007, the Council has had a range of Housing Service Standards, covering all of the Housing Service’s main areas of activity, formulated in consultation with the Tenants and Leaseholders Panel.

The Standards, and the Housing Service’s performance against them, were considered each year by the Communities Select Committee to determine whether or not any changes to the Service Standards should be recommended to the Housing Portfolio Holder. 

It was noted that all references to the Private Housing Standards (Technology) Team be removed as they were now covered under a separate standard.

He noted that the Appendix to the report provided details of the current Housing Service Standards and – where measurable and appropriate – the Housing Service’s performance in meeting the standards in 2017/18.  As a comparison, the Appendix also provided details on performance in 2016/17 and 2015/16.

The Tenants and Leaseholders Panel Federation would be consulted on the Service Standards and the Performance Schedule at its meeting on 4^th September 2018, and their comments and recommendations would be passed to the Housing Portfolio Holder at the same time as the Select Committee. 

The Committee went on to consider standards as laid out in the appendix to the report.

G2 – generally satisfy at least 80% of our tenants with overall housing service provided – Councillor Heap asked how many responses were there from how many residents on the survey undertaken. He was told that this was done every 2 years. They had a very approximate 30% response rate with an approximate 20% of residents being surveyed.

HM2 – provide you with the following options to pay your rent … - Councillor Heap noted that nothing was measured but the target was achieved. Mr Hall said that the report was erroneous to say that it was not measured, which he would change.

HM10 – remove clearly abandoned and potentially dangerous vehicles from housing estates within 5 working days of receiving a complaint – Councillor Heap asked how many had been cleared up. Mr Hall said that he did not know the exact number.

S9 – repair 90% of faults to telecare equipment within 2 working days and 100% within 4 working days – Councillor Patel asked why the target had not been achieved. He was told that the target of 90% was a much higher standard than the industry standard of 15 days and we had achieved 75% of the target. Councillor Patel asked what sort of support we gave to people when their equipment was not working. He was told that the majority took just over two days to fix but we also provided them with alternative equipment until the system was fixed.

RESOLVED:

(1)   That performance against the previously-agreed Housing Service Standards in 2017/18 (where measured) and that the 80% achievement of all measurable and measured targets associated with the Service Standards be noted;

(2)   That, subject to the views of the Tenants and Leaseholders Panel, the changes shown in bold italics in the second column of the Appendix be recommended to the Housing Portfolio Holder for the forthcoming year - including the removal of all the private housing standards under the responsibility of the Technical Team, which were now covered by the separate “Enforcement and Service Standards: Private Housing” recently agreed by the Housing Portfolio Holder; and

(3)   That the Housing Service Standards, and performance against the Service Standards in 2018/19, be reviewed again in June 2019.